Different
by LoneAuthoress
Summary: Calypso thinks about Leo. He was annoyingly different...but different. Review!


Whether she deserved this or not,she didn't know. But after he left,she knew at once that his arrival had been one of the worst things that had happened to her.

She remembered it so well. The thing was,she wished she could erase it from her mind permanently. Something she'd never have to think about again.

But she couldn't.

He had said what every other hero had said. _I'll come back for you_. She had explained it to them,close to tears that it was impossible. They all promised they would come back for her,and left. Even though it was impossible,a tiny part of her wished otherwise.

But she was wrong. They never came back. They had sailed off into the horizon,off for their loved ones,dooming the girl on the island to tears and sorrow for the umpteenh time.

But for some reason,the last two encounters had been the worst. She couldn't explain why.

First it was him. He had come when he was just fifteen or fourteen. He didn't even know sorrow. Particularly,her sorrow. He was innocent and kind. But cruel enough to leave her forever,holding her hand and saying, _'I'll come and visit you'_

She had spent weeks lying in bed,gaining courage and strength,and she,for a few days,believed that he would take her offer.

But she had been wrong.

She remembered everything. The way their fingers touched as they planted moonlace. It was a simple gesture,but for her sparks flew,her heart jumping wildly.

* * *

 _"He has ordered you to return," Calypso guessed,her heart turning to lead. She'd grown to fall in love with those beautiful green eyes._

 _"Well, not ordered. He gave me a choice." he said uncomfortably._

 _She didn't want to speak of it,but she couldn't resist. He'd captured her heart. "I promised I would not offer."_

 _"Offer what?"_

 _"For you to stay." she whispered,already knowing the answer._

 _"Stay," he said. "Like…forever?"_

 _"You would be immortal on this island," she said quietly. She prayed that he would be different. He would choose differently from the others. "You would never age or die. You could leave the fight to others, Percy Jackson. You could escape your prophecy."_

 _He stared at her, stunned. "Just like that?"_

 _She nodded,giving him a tiny smile,trying to hide her pain. "Just like that."_

 _"But…my friends."_

 _She rose and took his hand. His fingers fitted with hers perfectly,and she wished it would stay like that forever._

 _"You asked about my curse, Percy. I did not want to tell you. the truth is the gods send me companionship from time to time. Every thousand years or so, they allow a hero to wash up on my shores, someone who needs my help. I tend to him and befriend him, but it is never random. The Fates make sure that the sort of hero they send…"_

 _Her voice trembled, and she had to stop. She couldn't speak more,or else she would break down. Years and years,and she couldn't hold herself together. For some reason,he caught her more than the others. She didn't want to fall for him,but she couldn't catch herself._

 _He squeezed her hand. She wanted to pull back,but she couldn't. "What? What have I done to make you sad?" he asked._

 _"They send a person who can never stay," she whispered,her eyes moving with tears. "Who can never accept my offer of companionship for more than a little while. They send me a hero I can't help…just the sort of person I can't help falling in love with."_

 _The night was quiet except for the gurgle of the fountains and waves lapping on the shore. He was silent,and so was she._

 _"Me?" he asked._

 _"If you could see your face." She suppressed a smile, though her eyes were still teary. "Of course, you."_

 _"That's why you've been pulling away all this time?"_

 _She looked down. "I tried very hard. But I can't help it. The Fates are cruel. They sent you to me, my brave one, knowing that you would break my heart."_

 _"But…I'm just…I mean, I'm just me."_

 _"That is enough," Calypso promised,knowing herself,she would fall to the ground weeping. "I told myself I would not even speak of this. I would let you go without even offering. But I can't. I suppose the Fates knew that, too. You could stay with me, Percy. I'm afraid that is the only way you could help me."_

 _He stared at the horizon. The first red streaks of dawn were lightening the sky. She had less,but more to offer. She knew what his answer would be,but she slightly hoped,even though it was useless._

 _"I can't," He told her._

 _She looked down sadly. She knew it. He wasn't different,but at the same time he was._

 _"I would never do anything to hurt you," He said, "but my friends need me. I know how to help them now. I have to get back."_

 _She picked a flower from her garden—a sprig of silver moonlace. Its glow faded as the sunrise came up. She tucked the flower into his T-shirt pocket._

 _She stood on her tiptoes and kissed me on the forehead, like a blessing. Her lips tingled with warmth. "Then come to the beach, my hero. And we will send you on your way."_

 _"This will take you wherever you desire," She promised,gesturing to the raft. "It is quite safe."_

 _He took her hand, but she let it slip out his. She couldn't afford to suffer the pain again. She had to move on,letting him go. But she couldn't. She never would._

 _"Maybe I can visit you," He said._

 _She shook her head,remembering the several others who had said the same thing. "No man ever finds Ogygia twice, Percy. When you leave, I will never see you again."_

 _"But—"_

 _"Go, please." Her voice broke. A tear fell to her cheek "The Fates are cruel, Percy. Just remember me." Then she smiled slightly. "Plant a garden in Manhattan for me, will you?"_

 _"I promise" he'd said._

 _And that was the last she'd seen him._

* * *

Her eyes burnt in the warm breeze. That wasn't the worst though.

After that, _he'd_ come.

She'd hated him a lot,so annoying...but she'd fallen for him at the end. And he'd made a promise like no other. He'd told her _how_ he'd come back. But that just made her pain more fresh.

He made her believe that he'd actually come back for her. And this time she believed it more then anything. But a small part of her still said it's useless to have hope.

* * *

 _Leo and Calypso sat on the beach, near the spot where Leo had destroyed the dining table, and they ate a picnic dinner together. The full moon turned the waves to silver. Their campfire sent orange sparks into the sky. Calypso wore a fresh white shirt and her jeans, which she'd apparently decided to live in._

 _Behind them in the dunes, the supplies were carefully packed and ready to go._

 _"All we need now is a boat," Calypso said,trying to sound casual. She wasn't so sure about her feelings for Leo Valdez. He didn't exactly capture her heart,but she wasn't sure..._

 _Leo nodded. "I can start chopping wood into boards tomorrow. Few days, we'll have enough for a small hull."_

 _"You've made a ship before," Calypso remembered. "Your Argo II."_

 _Leo nodded._

 _"So how long until you sail?" Calypso's tone was light, but she didn't meet his eyes. She didn't know what to think._

 _"Uh, not sure. Another week?" He said awkwardly. Was it her imagination,or did Leo look relieved? Her imagination. She was sure. But was she?_

 _Calypso ran her fingers across the completed circuit board. "This took so long to make."_

 _"You can't rush perfection."_

 _A smile tugged at the edge of her mouth. "Yes, but will it work?"_

 _"Getting out, no problem," Leo said. "But to get back I'll need Festus and—"_

 _"What?" her heart stopped for a moment._

 _Leo blinked. "Festus. My bronze dragon. Once I figure out how to rebuild him, I'll—"_

 _"You told me about Festus," Calypso said,a little agitated. Had she imagined it? "But what do you mean get back?"_

 _Leo grinned nervously. "Well…to get back here, duh. I'm sure I said that."_

 _"You most definitely did not." she said,trying hard not to smile._

 _"I'm not gonna leave you here! After you helped me and everything? Of course I'm coming back. Once I rebuild Festus, he'll be able to handle an improved guidance system. There's this astrolabe that I, uh…that I found in Bologna. Anyway, I think with that crystal you gave me—"_

 _"You can't come back," Calypso insisted,. This was how it was. She would end in pain every time the hero promised to get back to her. But this sounded different..._

 _Leo's smile faded "Because I'm not welcome?"_

 _"Because you can't. It's impossible. No man finds Ogygia twice. That is the rule."_

 _Leo rolled his eyes. "Yeah, well, you might've noticed I'm not good at following rules. I'm coming back here with my dragon, and we'll spring you. Take you wherever you want to go. It's only fair."_

 _"Fair…" Calypso's voice was barely audible. She couldn't dare to hope he was telling the truth. Was he saying this to make her feel better? It only made her feel worse._

 _"You didn't really think I could start Leo and Calypso's Auto Repair without Calypso, did you?" he asked. "I can't make cider and stew, and I sure can't sing."_

 _She stared at the sand,hardly thinking. Was he really telling the truth?_

 _'No' said a little part of her He's like the others. Like Percy.'_

 _"Well, anyway," Leo said, "tomorrow I'll start on the lumber. And in a few days…"_

 _He looked out over the water. Something was bobbing on the waves. Calypso turned to see a large wooden raft floated in on the tide and slid to a stop on the beach._

 _Leo was too dazed to move, but Calypso sprang to her feet._

 _"Hurry!" She sprinted across the beach, grabbed some supply bags, and ran them to the raft. "I don't know how long it will stay!"_

 _"But…" Leo stood. Did he actually want to stay? Did he,for a moment,look disappointed? "That's the magic raft?"_

 _"Duh!" Calypso yelled,trying hard not to break her heart in front of him. She wanted him to leave as fast as possible so she could escape her misery._

 _But at the same time,she didn't want him to leave._

 _"It might work like it's supposed to and take you where you want to go. But we can't be sure. The island's magic is obviously unstable. You must rig up your guidance device to navigate." she said quickly._

 _She snatched up the console and ran toward the raft, which got Leo moving. He helped her fasten it to the raft and run wires to the small rudder in the back. The raft was already fitted with a mast, so Leo and Calypso hauled their sail aboard and started on the rigging._

 _They worked side by side in perfect harmony. Even among the Hephaestus campers, Leo had never worked with anyone as intuitive as this immortal gardener girl. In no time, they had the sail in place and all the supplies aboard. Leo hit the buttons on the Archimedes sphere, muttered a prayer to his dad, Hephaestus, and the Celestial bronze console hummed to life._

 _The rigging tightened. The sail turned. The raft began scraping against the sand, straining to reach the waves._

 _"Go," Calypso said._

 _Leo turned. They both were standing close. He smelt horrible,like smoke,but to her it was like heaven. What was wrong with her?_

 _"The raft finally got here," he said._

 _Calypso snorted. She was lucky it was dark,so he couldn't see her red eyes. "You just noticed?"_

 _"But if it only shows up for guys you like—"_

 _"Don't push your luck, Leo Valdez," she said,interrupting. "I still hate you."_

 _'For making stupid promises and making me hopeful again' she thought,but didn't say aloud._

 _"Okay."_

 _"And you are not coming back here," she insisted. "So don't give me any empty promises."_

 _"How about a full promise?" he said. "Because I'm definitely—"_

 _She grabbed his face and pulled him into a kiss, which effectively shut him up._

 _Calypso pushed him away. "That didn't happen."_

 _"Okay." His voice sounded an octave higher than usual._

 _"Get out of here."_

 _"Okay."_

 _She turned, wiping her eyes furiously, and stormed up the beach, the breeze tousling her hair._

 _She'd fallen in love with Leo Valdez._

* * *

Tears ran down her face fast. She buried her face in her hands,taking deep breaths. She couldn't go a day without thinking of all this. She'd wake up thinking about Leo,and fall asleep with the same thought.

She wanted to hope,but didn't want to. Was he telling the truth?

No,he wasn't. He was like all the others,but...at the same time,Leo Valdez was different. Annoying different,but different.


End file.
